This meditation is affectionate breathing.
Find a position to sit in where you feel relaxed and alert.
Maybe your spine is lifted,
Feeling your feet on the floor,
Your hands on your knees,
And feel free to close your eyes gently,
Either partially or fully.
Take a few slow and easy breaths to begin.
Just releasing any unnecessary tension in your body.
And if you'd like,
You can offer yourself soothing touch,
Supportive touch,
Which might be putting your hand over your heart,
Or even one hand over your heart and another on top.
Just as a reminder that we're not only bringing awareness to this meditation,
But we're bringing affectionate awareness to our experiences and to ourselves.
Feel free to leave your hand there,
Or at any time during this meditation,
You can release it.
In this meditation,
We're going to feel the breath in our bodies,
But sometimes focusing on the breath can be uncomfortable for some people.
And if you feel that way,
It's perfectly fine to simply return your attention to that soothing sensation of supportive touch,
Your hand over your chest,
For example,
Or any other place on your body that feels comfortable for you.
You can do that instead of focusing on your breath.
The idea is just to feel your entire body relaxing.
You might even try swaying gently back and forth as you breathe.
Now,
Only if it feels right for you,
Please begin now to notice the sensation of breathing within your body.
Feeling the body breathe in and feeling the body breathe out.
One breath at a time.
Perhaps noticing how your body is nourished on the in-breath and relaxes with the out-breath.
Just letting your body breathe you.
There's nothing you need to do.
Now noticing the rhythm of your breathing.
Flowing in,
Flowing out.
Taking some time to feel that rhythm of your breathing.
Perhaps bringing your attention gently towards your breathing as you might toward a child that you love or a dear friend or family member.
Feeling your whole body moving with the breath subtly,
Like the movement of the sea rolling in and rolling out.
And every now and then,
You might notice your mind start to wander,
Kind of like a curious child or a little puppy.
And when that happens,
It's perfectly normal.
Just gently returning to the rhythm of your breathing.
And if you notice there's a sense of watching yourself breathe,
See if you can just let that go.
And just be with your breath.
Feeling it.
Being breathing.
Allowing your whole body to be gently rocked and caressed.
Internally caressed by your breathing.
If you like,
Even giving yourself over to your breathing.
Just breathing.
Being breathing.
Allowing your whole body to be gently rocked and caressed.
And just be with your breath.
Allowing your whole body to be gently rocked and caressed.
And now,
Gently releasing your attention to your breathing.
Sitting quietly in your own experience.
And allowing yourself to feel whatever is coming up for you.
Whatever you're feeling,
Allowing that to be enough and to be just as you are.
And when you're ready,
Slowly and gently,
With kindness towards yourself,
Just opening your eyes.
